COMPUTER SCIENCE

HANDOUT
 Input Devices

In computing, an input device is a peripheral (piece of computer hardware equipment) used to provide
data and control signals to an information processing system such as a computer or information
appliance. Input devices are hardware that allows data to be input into computers. Input devices send
signals into the computer that have to be interpreted by the operating system using drivers.
OR
It is a peripheral device used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system
such as a computer or information appliance.
Categories of input devices:
a. Manual input devices:
The device which requires the user to input/enter data into the computer by hand. E.g. Mouse,
keyboard.
b. Automatic input devices / Direct Data Entry (DDE):
A direct data input device can transfer information automatically from a source document such as a
form or barcode. The user doesn’t need to enter information manually. E.g. OCR, OMR, MICR,

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MSR, barcode reader, QR Code.
Types of input devices:
a. Scripting input device (keyboard)
b. Pointing input device (mouse, joystick, trackball, light pen)
c. Voice input device (microphone)
d. Visual input device (webcam)
e. Scanning input device (Scanner, barcode reader, QR code, MICR, OCR)
Scripting Input Devices

 Standard Keyboard (QWERTY):

The keyboard is the most common and widely used input device.
It is made up of buttons called “KEYS”. The keys are arranged into sections:
1. Alphabetic keys
2. Function keys
3. Numeric keys
4. Arrow keys
5. Command keys

Most keyboards are called QWERTY keyboards. This name comes from the first six letters on the
top row of the alphabet keys.
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Using keyboards for too long can lead to health problems such as repetitive strain injury.
To try to overcome this, different styles of keyboards have been developed, for example the ergonomic
keyboard. They are supposed to put your hands into a much more natural position than traditional
keyboards.

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 Advantages Disadvantages
Most computers come with a keyboard It is easy to make mistakes when typing in data.
supplied.
People are used to using keyboards to enter If you can’t touch type, it can be time
data, they need very little training. consuming to enter data.
A skilled typist can enter data very quickly. Keyboards are not suitable for creating
diagrams.
Specialist keyboards are available e.g. Disabled people often find keyboards difficult
ergonomic, gaming keyboards. to use.
Excessive use can lead to health problems such
as repetitive strain injury.

 MIDI Keyboard:
Musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) is a normal musical instrument which is connected to the
computer to enter musical notes as input. The notes are converted into digital data and saved as a file
on the computer.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Data from musical instruments Audio can be recorded directly as Used as a piano

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is easily captured and edited an audio file such as MP3. instrument.
with a computer.
MIDI files can be recorded on The playback depends on the Can be used to make
one type of instrument and instrument /computer sound card sounds of different
played back on another. as may not sound the same as the instruments.
original.
MIDI files are small.

 Adaptive keyboard:
An adaptive keyboard is the commercial keyboard that has been modified to allow a user with special
needs, accessibility to the computer system. Modification could include: bright colored keyboard, easy
to use labels, and customized layouts

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

It makes typing easy for people It has a very limited use for Users with disability.
suffering from motor skills disability. a limited group of people.
Users who want
customized layout.

 Concept Keyboard:
It is a flat keyboard that contains a grid of buttons/icons instead of standard letters. Each button can be
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programmed to do whatever we want. An overlay sheet with pictures or symbols is placed on the grid
to specify the use of each key.

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 Advantages Disadvantages Uses
Much faster making non-text There is a risk of dirt and Used in fast food
selections such as menu choices. splashes covering the restaurants, offices and
keyboard. shops, where a single key
They are water-proof. Has limited use. represents an item.
They are tamper-proof thus
preventing people from keying
in information which could
potentially corrupt the computer
system.

 Ergonomic Keyboard:
An ergonomic keyboard is a computer keyboard designed with ergonomic considerations to minimize
muscle strain and a host of different problems.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Easy to use for those who have It is expensive. Used by users suffering from
muscles issues. RSI.

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 Braille keyboard:
It is a writing system for blind and visually impaired people. It is made up of raised dots that can be
‘read’ by touch. A braille keyboard is a specialist input device that allows the user to type and enter text
or instructions for the computer in Braille.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Helpful for blind people Has limited usage Used by visually impaired
people.
Easy to use No easily available

 Wireless Keyboard:
A wireless keyboard is a similar device as a standard keyboard however it is connected to the computer
via Bluetooth rather than a cable.

 Virtual keyboard:
It is a software component that allows a user to enter characters. A virtual keyboard can usually be
operated with multiple input devices, which may include a touchscreen, an actual keyboard and a
computer mouse.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

No extra hardware is Lack of physical division between Mobile phones,
required. the keys makes touch typing Tablets, PDAs etc.
difficult.
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It is relatively inexpensive; Computer systems

as many of the virtual
keyboards are available for
free download.

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  Numeric keypad:
A numeric keypad is used to enter numeric data only although some have a function key to allow input
of alphabetic characters.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

They are faster to use as Has a very limited use. Used in ATMs to enter PIN
compared to standard #, amount of money etc.
keyboards.
Allows fast numeric typing. Sometimes the key layout is Telephones have numeric
not user friendly. keypads
Comparatively more portable. It is difficult to use them for Electronic POS terminals.
entering text.

Pointing devices:
A term used for any device used to control the cursor on the computer screen. They are frequently
used with GUI (Graphical User Interface) systems.

 Mouse
A mouse is a pointing “pointing device” because it enables us to control what happens on the screen
by moving the mouse on desk and pointing, clicking and selecting items on the screen.

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A mouse usually has two buttons, a right and left one and also a central wheel which allows us to scroll
up and down the page (some mice have up to five buttons). The left and right buttons have different
functions.
Many of the older styles of mice used a ball which moved against two internal rollers to record the
direction that the mouse was being moved in. recent versions of mice use “optical” or “wireless”
technology to track mouse movement.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Ideal for use with desktop They need a flat space close to They allow selection
computers the computer to allow accurate from a menu or
movement. selecting an icon.

User is less likely to suffer Requires a mouse mat to work Allows scrolling
from RSI. properly. up/down the screen.
Easy to use / Most computer Older style mice which have
users are familiar with them roller balls can become clogged
and require little training. with grease and grime and lose
their accuracy until cleaned.
Optical mouse has no Excessive use can lead to health
moving parts hence it problems such as repetitive strain
doesn’t pick up any dirt. injury(R.S.I)
Usually supplied as part of a Easily damaged (broken or get
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new computer system clogged with dirt)

If the battery wears out in a
wireless mouse, it cannot be used
until it has been replaced.

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  Trackball:
It is a pointing input device that performs the same functions as a mouse but it is a stationary device
unlike a mouse. It has a moveable ball on its top and has buttons to send signals / commands to the
computer.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

People with limited hand/wrist Trackballs are not supplied with It is most used by users
movement find it easier to use the computer so it can cost who suffer from a
than a mouse. extra. disability (RSI).
The pointer can be positioned User may need training in order Used in navigation-
more accurately on the screen to be able to use it accurately. based applications.
than with a mouse.
They take up less desk space Games and arcade
than a mouse. gaming machines.

Pointing stick:
A pointing stick is a pressure sensitive pointing device. It is mounted in a laptop keyboard. It is used
to control the movement of the cursor on the screen.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

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Easy to use. Has limited movement. It has the same use as a mouse.
Doesn’t require any extra space

 Light pen:
It is a hand-held pointing device. It has a light sensor at the end of its tip which sends signals to a
computer whenever light changes are detected.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Easy to use. At the moment they only Selecting objects on CRT
work with CRT monitors. screens.
Doesn’t require any extra space. Easily breakable. Used for drawing on screen.

More accurate than

touchscreens.

 Touch pad:
A touch pad is an input device which is usually found on a laptop computer.

Because a laptop is meant to be portable, people aren’t always able to attach a traditional mouse, it
might be too much hassle or there might not be enough room to use one. A touchpad can be used in
place of a mouse.
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By dragging your finger over the surface of the touchpad, sensors underneath detect the movement
direction and speed. The sensors only react to ta fingertip and not a pencil or other object. There are
usually two buttons next to the touchpad which are used to replace the left and right mouse button.

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 Advantages Disadvantages Uses
Useful for laptops when using Takes practice and skill to control the Selection from a menu
a mouse isn’t practical. position of the cursor using the or selecting an icon.
touchpad.
The pad’s position is fixed Gloves cannot be worn. I.e. in a clean Allows scrolling
compared to the keyboard, room or industrial environment up/down the screen.
unlike with a traditional where gloves need to be worn.
mouse.
Very short finger movements Moist, sweaty or calloused fingers can
are required to move the disrupt the signals picked up by the
cursor. sensors.

 Joystick:
It consists of a vertical handle stick mounted on a base. The stick is used to control the movement
of the cursor and also act a navigation tool when used for controlling robots. It also consists of few
buttons which are used to make selection.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

They give a better gaming Some people find joysticks more Video/ computer
experience for racing or flying difficult to control than a traditional games.

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styles of computer games. mouse.
It makes navigation over the Joysticks are not particularly robust It is used in simulators
screen easier. and can break easily if too much to mimic actual
force is used on them. controls.
Makes it easy to control It has limited use.
robots.
It is difficult to control the on-screen
pointer.

 Graphics tablet:
It is used with a stylus to produce freehand drawings. The images produced can then be stored in a
file on a computer. Graphics tablets are often used by graphics designers and illustrators.
By using a graphics tablet a designer can produce much more accurate drawings on the screen than
they could with a mouse or other pointing device.
A graphics tablet consists of a flat pad (the tablet) on which you “draw” with a special pen. As you draw
on the pad an image is created on the computer monitor from within the application that the tablet is
connected to.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

It is much more natural to draw Not really suitable for general Computer graphics.
diagrams with a pencil type selection work such as
implement (the stylus) rather than pointing and clicking on menu
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with a mouse. items.

It is possible to modify drawings Graphics tablets are much CAD (Computer
before they are input. more expensive than a mouse. Aided Design) system.
A great level of accuracy can be
achieved.

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  Remote controls:
A remote control is a hand-held device which is used to control a machine from a short distance away.

Advantages Disadvantages Use

Easy to use. Limited options. Televisions

Some remote controls allow text to Remote controls need line – of – sight Music systems
be typed, for example, making a in order to send their signals to the
note of the name of a TV program receiving device, obstacles such as
which has been recorded. furniture or walls can block the signal.

Very fast input is possible. Lighting systems

Heating system

 Touch screen
A touch screen is the only device which works as both an input and an output device. Options are
displayed on the screen (output) and the user can choose an option by simply touching the button/
icon on the screen. The selection is automatically made without the need for any pointing device.

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Advantages Disadvantages Uses
Comparatively faster entry of The screen can get dirty Self-service system.
data as compared to other from constant touch.
devices.
User-friendly There are a limited In PDAs (Personal Digital
number of options Assistants), mobile phones.
available.
No training is required to Easily damageable. Interactive white boards.
learn how to use.
No extra peripherals such as Not suitable for inputting On CBT (Computer Base
a mouse are needed. large amounts of data. Training)
Software can alter the screen Not very accurate – Touch screens work
while it is being used, making selecting detailed objects particularly well with a menu
it more flexible than a can be difficult with driven interface. For
concept keyboard which has fingers. example, a cash point
a permanent overlay. (ATM) at a bank.
Can make use of finger Tiring to use for long Another major use of touch
gestures to make periods. screen is on smart phones
sophisticated actions such as and modern tablet
zooming and selecting. computers. Each “app” is
accessed by an icon on the
touch screen.
Excellent for selecting and More expensive than Touch screens are easy to
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controlling “apps” alternatives such as a use and are often found in

(applications) that have been mouse (unless it is part public places such as ticket
designed with a touch screen of the computer/ smart collection terminals at
in mind. phone in any case). theatres or airports,
information centers at
museums.

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 Less useful as a control
input to a standard
computer that makes use
of the mouse / keyboard
combination e.g. laptop,
desktop pc.

Types of Touchscreens:

 Capacitive:
It uses many layers of glass that acts like a capacitor which creates electric field between the glass plates
in layers. When the top glass layer is touched, the electric current changes and the coordinates where
the screen was touched are determined by the microprocessor.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Cost is medium. Input can mostly be done by Mobile phones
bare fingers only.
Screen visibility is good in strong
sunlight.

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Multi-touch capacity.

Screen is very durable.

 Infra-red:
1. Heat-sensitive: It uses glass as a screen material. It needs a warm object to carry out
an input operation.
2. Optical: It uses glass as a screen material and uses an array of sensors, in the form
of grid; the point of contact is based on which grid coordinate is touched.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Allows multi-touch Relatively expensive Outdoor applications
capabilities. technology.

Optical system allows use of Heat-sensitive system only POS systems

bare fingers, a stylus, and/ or allows bare fingers for input.
gloved fingers.
Good screen durability. Screen visibility is not very
good in strong sunlight.

 Resistive:
It makes use of an upper layer of polyester (a form of plastic) and bottom layer of glass. When the
top layer is touched, the top and the bottom layer complete a circuit. The signals are then sent out
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which are interpreted by a microprocessor, the calculations determine the coordinates of where
the screen was touched.

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 Advantages Disadvantages Uses
Relatively inexpensive Screen visibility is poor in Mobile phones
technology. strong sunlight.
Allows use of bare fingers, Doesn’t permit multi- Restaurants, factories, and
gloved fingers, or a stylus to touch capability. hospitals due to its high
carry out an input operation. resistance to liquids and
contaminants.
Screen is vulnerable to
scratches and the screen
wears out through time.

 Microphone:
It is an analogue input device. This is used for the input of sound which is then digitalized by the
computer. The digital audio can be used with voice recognition software to control hardware navigate
a menu or input text into a word processor. Voice recognition can also be used in security system.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Faster to read in text than to type Stored audio files can take Doing “voice over” in a
it in using a keyboard up a lot of memory presentation.

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Voice recognition software can Voice commands can be Part of speech recognition
be used to convert your voice difficult to recognize by system & voice recognition
into text or to control menu software. system
options.
Eliminates the need of typing. User’s accent can result in Enables disable people to
error in speech recognition. communicate with the
computer.

Comparatively cheap. Background noise can Used to speak over the

interfere with voice internet using VOIP
recognition systems. (Voice over internet
protocol).

Used in hands-free devices.

Analog to Digital Conversion: When analog sound waves are input into the computer the waves are
sent to the sound card, which acts as an ADC (analog to digital converter) and converts the sound
waves into digital form.

 Voice Recognition System:

It is a system in which the user’s voice is detected then converted into a digital pattern. The voice
recognition software compares the current input with the pattern already stored in the computer
memory to check for similarity and identifies the speaker.
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Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Identifies the person speaking. Only few words can be spoken Used in security systems
at a time.
It is easier to identify the voice Background noise can cause Control hardware
as the speaker doesn’t have to input rejection.
enter anything by hand.

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  Speech Recognition System:
It is used to identify the words spoken and convert them into text and display them on the screen.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

It is faster to speak than type. Accent or pronunciation To dictate speech without
difference can cause mistakes the need to type it.
or errors in text display.
The user doesn’t have to input The dictionary in the
data by hand. computer memory is very
limited, new words are
constantly required to be
updated.

 Digital Camera:
They are the enhanced version of traditional cameras. They store the pictures taken into a memory
card and it transfers the photograph into the computer by simply using a USB (universal serial bus)
connection. Once saved the images can be manipulated, such as crop, resize, contrast, alter etc.
These cameras are controlled by a microprocessor which can automatically carry out the following
tasks:

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▪ adjust the shutter speed
▪ focus the image automatically
▪ operate the flash automatically
▪ adjust the aperture size
▪ adjust the size of the image
▪ remove ‘red eye’ when the flash has been used

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Easy to produce better The resolution of the camera Record short length videos
quality of photographs. is not as good as a traditional
camera.
Soft copy of images is easier The user should be a little Photos can be directly
to handle. computer literate in order to uploaded on social media
transfer and edit the photos
correctly.

The memory card can store Photographs can be

a large number of photos directly printed using
whereas traditional camera wired or wireless
allows only few photos per connection with the
film roll. printer.
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Webcam:

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A webcam is short for “Web Camera”.
A webcam is an input device because it captures a video image of the scene in front of it. It is either
built into the computer (e.g. laptop) or it is connected through an USB cable.
The video signal is made up of a series of individual “image frames” which are an instant snapshot of
the scene in front of it. Each image frame is sent to the computer for further processing by webcam
software. If the “Frame rate” is fast enough (more than 25 frames per seconds) it appears as motion
video.
Many webcams are also used to catch an image frame every now and then, perhaps every minute or
even every hour.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Able to interact with Feed when video Chatting: webcams are commonly used
people across long chatting can be to allow people to see each other whilst
distances choppy/pixelated chatting over the internet. Formally this
is called “teleconferencing”.

Becoming more and more Discourages people to Tourists: there are hundreds of

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easy to use interact face-to-face webcams dotted around the world that
are pointed to an interesting scene such
as the outside view of a lab in the Arctic
or maybe the Niagara Falls. The web
cam is attached to a computer which
sends an image to a server on the
internet on a regular basis. People then
connect to the server to see the latest
image.
Both sound and video is Hackers can enable Security: webcams can also be used to
used, making the webcams even when the capture an image only if movement is
communication more owner is not aware detected in the scene in front of it so
sophisticated they are widely used in burglar alarm
and other security equipment.
Users can use the webcam Can be used to film
to save videos they film to inappropriate/illegal
watch later or send to videos.
others
Many webcams can also be Privacy in computer
used as a still camera users is decreasing-- most
people can be found
somewhere on the web
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 Interactive Whiteboards:
They are devices that allow computer images to be displayed on a whiteboard using a digital projector.
They also allow a user to write on the whiteboard and the text or drawing produced are then stored in
an electronic form for later use.

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 Advantages Disadvantages Uses
Allows editing of displayed Expensive system. Educational purpose
information.
Handwritten or drawn data Requires specific software to Demonstration based
can be stored in the computer. operate. presentations.

Work demonstration can be Requires training to use

made interactive or can be properly.
recorded.
Touch sensitive boards have
limitations

 Scanner:
Scanners can be used to convert images or text on paper into a digital format that can be used by the
computer.
A scanner works by shining a beam of light onto the surface of the object that you are scanning. This
light is then reflected back onto a sensor that detects the color of the light. This is then used to build
up the digital image.

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Items that are scanned are usually stored in an image format. However, special software – optical
character recognition – can be used to convert text on the paper into text which can be edited with a
word processor. However, the text doesn’t always get converted very well and you could end up with a
lot of mistakes.
There are three types of scanner:

• Flatbed scanners: it has lid raised to show the glass surface where you place the item to be scanned.
This is probably the one that you use at school. They can scan larger images and are more accurate
than handheld scanners.
• Handheld scanners: are usually only a few inches wide and are held in the hand whilst they are
rolled across the document to be scanned. The images produced are generally not as large or as
high quality as those captured with a flatbed scanner.
• Specialist scanners: if you are a photography enthusiast with a large collection of pre-digital 35mm
negatives, then there are specialist scanners that can scan older 35mm film. In theory a standard
scanner could do it but the film itself is relatively tiny and will result in very poor scans. The 35mm
film scanner is exactly the same technology but the scan is set to go accurately over the 35mm
range of the negative.

Advantages Disadvantages
Flatbed scanners are very accurate and can produce Images produced by the scanner can take
reasonably high-quality images. up a lot of memory space.
Any image which is digitized by the scanner can Images lose some quality in the scanning
then be included on electronic documents. and digitizing process.
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Images once digitized can be enhanced with a The quality of the final image is dependent
graphics application. on the quality of the original image.
Specialist scanners can convert old material such as Emotional value – is there value in the
35mm negatives into digital files. original image?
Can accurately capture an image, but the original
source may be more important than the scanned
image.

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Uses:
1. Copying
One very common use for scanners is copying. If you need to make multiple copies of a flyer,
poster, worksheet or similar document and don't have access to a traditional copier, a scanner
can be used to create a computer file for your document that can be printed as many times as
you need, assuming your computer is hooked up to a printer. Also, unlike a copier, a scanner
gives you the option of editing your document before you print your copies.

2. Archiving
Another popular use for scanners is digital archiving. Digital archiving is the process of making
and saving digital copies of hard copy documents. These documents can include anything from
personal documentation and tax paperwork to family letters and business records. Having
more than one copy of valuable documents makes the information in said documents that
much easier to recover in the event the original documents are lost, stolen or destroyed.

3. Research
Scanners are also useful for research purposes. Long-term research projects, whether for
school or business, will often require information to be gathered from borrowed library books
or other privately-owned sources. If the information contained in these sources is necessary for
later research, it can be scanned into your computer and referenced at a later date without the

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need for the original book or document. This allows you to return the source without sacrificing
the information found in it.

4. Sharing Photos
we can also use scanners to share hard copy photos with friends and family via the Internet.
While digital photography has become the prevalent format for professional and amateur
photographers alike, many people still have old family photos taken with traditional film
cameras and therefore were never recorded digitally. Scanners allow you to create digital copies
of these photographs that can be posted to social networking sites like Facebook or emailed
directly to distant friends and family.

Types of Scanners:
1. 2d
2. 3d

 2-dimensional scanners:
Also known as flatbed scanners, these scanners are most common form of scanners used. They are
generally used to input paper documents which are converted into electronic form which can be stored
in the computer.
Working: It works by shining a beam of light onto the surface of the document or photo. The light is
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then reflected back to the sensors that detect the color of the light and send a digitalized signal to the
computer. This is used to build up the digital image.

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 Advantages Disadvantages Uses
Accurate and produces Scanned images can take up a Offices, school and homes
reasonably high-quality images. lot of memory space.
The scanned images are The quality of the scanned Important documents are
editable. image is dependent upon the scanned to produce
quality of the document being records.
scanned.
Scanned images can be Airports to read passports.
converted into text documents
using OCR.

Stages of scanning a document:

1. The cover is first raised then the document is placed on a glass panel and then the cover is
closed.

2. The bright light then illuminates the document. Modern scanners use a type of xenon lamp
which produced very bright white light.

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3. A scan head moves around the document until the whole page has been scanned. An image of
a document is produced which is then sent to a lens using a series of mirrors. The lens focusing
the document image.

4. The focused image now falls onto a charge couple device (CCD) which consists of a number
of integrated circuits etched into silicon. Essentially the CCD is made up of thousands of light
sensitive elements (or pixels). Each element creates an electric charge when light falls on it.
This means that the scanned image is now turned into an electronic form. Software produces
a digital image from the electronic form.

➢ 3-dimensional scanners:
These devices scan solid objects and produce a 3-dimensional image. Since solid objects have x,
y and z coordinates, these scanners take images at several points along these three coordinates.

Solid object Solid object now shown

x-ray source as a series of “slices” –
each slice is stored as a
digital image in the
computer.
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 Advantages Disadvantages Uses
Help fix defects on Normally they are large in size Used in CAD (Computer Aided
certain objects. and take up a lot of space. Design) systems.
Very accurate. Expensive in cost. 3D printers use the 3D images
produced by these scanners to
produce a working model.
Easy to use Can be very slow in scanning X-rays - CT Scan (computerized
objects. tomography)
Radio frequencies – MRI
(Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Gamma Rays – SPECT (Single
Photon Emission Computed
Tomography) etc.

 Barcode scanner/ reader:

A barcode is a series of dark and light parallel lines of varying thickness. The number from 0-9 is each
represented by a unique series of lines. The left- and right-hand side of the barcode are separated by
using two parallel lines called the guard bars. Normal barcodes can hold up to 30 digits only.

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These are used to scan / read different patterns of barcodes on different objects that give out
information relating to the object.
Barcode readers are classed as automatic input devices. Most items that are for sale in shops have a
barcode printed somewhere on the packaging.
The barcode is a series of vertical bars of varying widths that give information about:
❖ The country of manufacture
❖ The name of the manufacturer
❖ A product codes.
The barcode does NOT contain the price of the item – this is held on the company database.
A barcode reader is an automatic input device which is used to scan or “Read” the barcode by using a
visible red light. The reflected light is translated into digital data that is interpreted by the computer to
identify the product and price from the database.
The main advantage of using a barcode system is that any price change only needs to be made to the
database and not every single product package.
Barcodes are also used on books to show the book’s ISBN number – have a look at any textbook that
you have in your bag. They are also used on library tickets so that when your ticket is scanned, the
database brings up your account and any books which you still have out on loan are displayed.
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Explanation:

Having the ability to read barcodes omni-directionally is another big advantage of using a 2D barcode
scanner. All hand held 2D barcode scanners use an image sensor to capture an image of the
barcode. That image is then run through a software decoder program that resides in the scanner's
firmware. The software decoder program has the ability to locate the barcode based on each barcode's
unique characteristics, no matter what the orientation of the barcode is. This system allows the user
to hold the scanner in the same position for every barcode read no matter the position of the

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barcode. The scanner does not have to be oriented to line up with the barcode being read. User
fatigue and overall read times are greatly reduced.

The image sensor uses the same technology as today's digital cameras. The one main difference is that
2D barcode scanners use a grayscale imager as opposed to a color imager. Because it is an imager,
many scanners have the capability of taking a picture and sending that picture to the computer that it
is connected to. Taking pictures of signatures for proof of delivery, damaged packages, forms
recognition and off scanner image processing are just a few of the applications that are being utilized
with the images from 2D barcode scanners.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Faster checkout queue Barcode scanning is a relatively Automatic stock control
expensive system to administer.
Less chances of error in The system is not foolproof – Itemized billing
bill calculation. barcodes can be swapped around on
items.

Immediate update of Working range of 2D barcode Used in libraries to keep

product information. scanners is a second track of book status.
disadvantage. Working range is

SAMREEN NISAR
Easier to change prices of defined as the furthest point away To give information
stock items. from the scanner a barcode can be about a product.
read minus the closest point a
Reduces all time stock barcode can be read. For To uniquely identify a
management cost. example: A UPC-A barcode can be product around the
read at a far distance of 10 inches world.
Reliability is another big away from the scanner. That same
advantage of 2D barcode barcode can be read at a near
scanners. There is only distance of 2 inches away from the
one moving part in a 2D scanner. 10 inches minus 2 inches
barcode scanner. Rarely equals 8 inches of working range. 1D
will there be a failure in the barcode scanners could read that
field. No failures mean no same barcode at a far distance of 18
down time for customers inches and a near distance of 1
which results in higher inch. That lesser working range can
efficiencies, less frustration be a problem in some applications.
and lower total cost of
ownership.

 QR (Quick Response) codes:

A QR code (quick response code) is a type of 2D bar code that is used to provide easy access to
information through a smartphone.
These are a type of barcode which is made up of a matrix of filled-in dark squares on a light
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background. It can hold up to 7000 digits (alphabets, numbers and symbols).

Static QR codes, the most common type, are used to disseminate information to the general public.
They are often displayed in advertising materials in the environment (such as billboards and posters),
on television and in newspapers and magazines. The code’s creator can track information about the
number of times a code was scanned and its associated action taken, along with the times of scans and
the operating system of the devices that scanned it.

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Dynamic QR codes (sometimes referred to as unique QR codes) offer more functionality. The owner
can edit the code at any time and can target a specific individual for personalized marketing. Such
codes can track more specific information, including the scanners names and email address, how many
times they scanned the code and, in conjunction with tracking codes on a website, conversion rates.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Important information can be Users need to download a Advertisements
immediately entered by just scanning QR code reader
a code.

Advertising has become easy, fast, Lack of awareness Phone numbers, email
and inexpensive. address, website link etc.

Scanning can be a long Promotional codes.

process.

 MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Reader):

It is a technology used to verify originality of a paper document. It is a system which can read

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characters printed in a special ink (containing iron particles). Only certain characters written in a
standard font can be read, for example the characters at the bottom of a bank cheque. These
characters are converted into a form that the computer can understand and then stored in a
computer file.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Offers greater security than OCR Limited number To enhance security
as the printed characters cannot be characters can be read.
altered.
Even if someone writes on the Comparatively it is Important documents
Magnetic Ink Characters, they are more expensive cannot be forged or
still readable. method. duplicated
There is no manual input, thus Used to process checks in
errors are reduced. banking operations.

 Magnetic stripe reader (magstripe reader):

Magnetic strips are usually found of the back of most credit cards, cheque guarantee cards, loyalty
cards, membership cards etc.
The magnetic strips can hold personal details such as account number and name. The strip can contain
up to 60 characters; stored magnetically.
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To read the data on the card, it is “swiped” through a magnetic stripe reader machine and the data is
read and fed back to the computer.

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 Advantages Disadvantages Uses
Simple for people to use – little Very limited storage capacity for data. Credit card,
or no training
Cheap and easy way of data Data can be easily destroyed by strong Debit card,
information storage. magnetic fields.
Comparatively errors free data Not always secure as thieves can obtain ID card /
entry. the readers and read the data on the Employee cards
card.
Data on the cards can be altered If the magnetic strip is damaged the data Transportation
if necessary is lost. tickets
Security is improved by the use The card needs to be in close contact Key cards
of PIN numbers to confirm that with the reader.
the person is the rightful card
owner.

 Optical mark reader (OMR)

It is the process of capturing human-marked data from document forms such as surveys and tests. The
OMR then interprets the pattern of marks and sends the results to the computer for storage, analysis
and reporting.

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Advantages Disadvantages Uses
A fast method of inputting The type of data is limited. Only suitable In researches &
large amounts of data – up to for recording one out of a selection of Surveys
10,000 forms can be read per answers, not suitable for text input.
hour depending on the quality
of the machine used.
Only one computer needed to Incorrectly placed or unnumbered Tests and
collect and process the data. documents can lead to data collection in assessments
the wrong order. If the mark doesn’t fill the
space completely, or aren’t in a dark
enough pencil, they may not be read
correctly.
OMR is much more accurate Data duplication. The OMR reader needs Evaluation and
than data being keyed in by a the answers to be on the prepared forms feedback forms
person. which will all be identical to one another.
You can’t just pick up a blank sheet of
paper and mark your answers on it.
Data forms

 Optical character Recognition (OCR)

It is an electronic conversion of images of typed, handwritten or printed text into computer encoded
text.
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Explanation:
An OCR system consists of a normal scanner and some special software. The scanner is used to scan
text on a document or piece of paper into the computer. The OCR software then examines the page
and changes the letters into a form that can be edited or processed by a normal word processing
package.
The ability to scan the characters accurately depends on how clear the writing is.

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Scanners have been improved to be able to read different styles and sizes of text as well as neat
handwriting.

Although they are often up to 95% accurate, any text scanned with OCR needs careful checking
because some letters can be missed.

OCR is used to automatically recognize postcodes on letters at sorting offices.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Eliminating the need to type Not 100% accurate, there are likely Information entry
the document again / Cheaper to be some mistakes made during from data
than paying someone to the process. collection form.
manually enter large amounts
of text.
Much faster than someone All documents need to be checked Data collection
manually entering large over carefully and then manually from passport
amounts of text. corrected. information.
The latest software can recreate If the original document is of poor Data collection
tables and the original layout. quality or the handwriting difficult to from checks,

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read, more mistakes will occur and invoice, bank
require lengthy and time-consuming statements
proof-reading.
Data correction becomes easy Not worth doing for small amounts
and fast. of text.

 Smart Cards:
A plastic card with a built-in microprocessor chip, used typically to perform financial transactions.
Latest card can hold up to 8000 characters of information on the chip.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

They can be used instead of If the card is lost, information Loyalty cards, ID cards,
money, reducing the need to stored on the chip could be Public transport passes
carry cash. used in identity theft.
Chip on the card is not swiped Used for electronic
or made in contact with the passports and driving
reader, so there is less damage licenses.
to the card.
Data is more secure. Used to track customer/
passenger movements
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  Biometric devices:
There is an increasing trend towards using biometric data from people in order to identify them.
It is an authentication system used as a form of identification and access control. It relies on measurable
individual characteristics that can be automatically verified.
Fingerprint and retinal identification are being used in many places now and even facial recognition
systems are starting to be introduced.
Special devices are needed to capture the biometric data which is then passed onto the computer for
processing and identification.

Advantages Disadvantages Uses

Improved security It is an expensive system Building Access: Biometric
identification devices are
typically installed on the doors
of secure locations. They allow
authorized personnel to enter
the premises while denying
entry to unauthorized

SAMREEN NISAR
individuals.
Improved customer Requires training to use it To secure computer network
experience properly.

Cannot be forgotten or Environment and usage can Banking – Transaction

lost affect measurements Authentication

Reduced operational costs Systems are not 100% Law Enforcement

accurate.
Identifies individual Require integration and / or Time and Attendance
despite the variations in additional hardware &
time software resources.

Cannot be reset once Airport Security

compromised
Blood Banks

 Sensors:
Sensors are used to detect physical quantities outside a computer such as light, temperature and
pressure.
They collect data automatically and usually at regular intervals. This data can either be transmitted
immediately to the computer or it can be stored for a period of time and a batch of reading sent in one
got.
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In order to process input from sensors, a device called an “analogue to digital converter “ (ADC) must
be connected between the computer and the sensor. This device converts the analogue signals from
the sensors to digital data that the computer can process.

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 Advantages Disadvantages Uses
More accurate than human- Faulty sensors can give Monitoring: hospitals,
recorded readings. incorrect results. burglar alarm, fire alarm,
pollution level.

Continuous reading results in Some applications for Controlling: street light, air
nonstop monitoring. sensors can be conditioning system,
expensive. automatic doors system.

Requires less human

intervention.

Types of sensors:

SAMREEN NISAR
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 OUTPUT DEVICES

Output devices:
An output device conveys the results of processing from the computer processor to the user.
There are two types of output devices:
1. Soft copy output device:
These are devices that show output for a temporary time period. Basically, it is an electronic copy of
some type of data. For example: VDU (Visual Display Unit), Projector, Speaker.
2. Hard copy output device:
These are devices that give output for permanent time period. Basically, it is a physical form of some
type of data. For example: Printer, plotter, magnetic tape.

Softcopy Output Devices

Monitors:
A computer monitor also known as VDU (Visual Display Unit) is an electronic output device that
presents the information from the CPU on the screen working as an interface between the CPU and
the user.

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Types of Monitors
▪ CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors
▪ TFT (Thin Film Transistors) monitors
▪ LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors
▪ LED (Light Emitting Diode) monitors

▪ CRT monitors:
They use an electron gun to fire against a phosphor screen, which creates a picture that is made up of
tiny dots. Each dot is colored red, green or blue – the intensity of each colored dot makes up the vast
range of colors interpreted by the eye. CRT monitors are weighted, bulky, and large in size.

Uses Advantages: Dis advantages:

– Televisions – Supports black and white feature – Consumes high power
– Old computer – Less expensive – Consists of image
monitors – Easily repairable flickering.
– High response time
– It is not temperature or age
dependent.

▪ LCD monitors:
These the most common types of flat panel display monitor. They use liquid crystal to display pictures
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thus replacing the cathode ray tube; it uses cold cathode fluorescent light instead. These monitors are
light, compact and thin in size.

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 Uses Advantages Disadvantages
– Modern televisions – Produces bright and sharp – Color and contrast from
– Computer monitors images various viewing angles is
– Touchscreens – Light weight and portable inconsistent.
– Energy efficient – Fixed resolution.
– Screens are available in vast – Comparatively expensive.
range of sizes.

LCD Screens
LCD panels are opposing the AMOLED screens.
They are divided into two categories:
1. TFT
2. IPS

The second technology is an evolution of the first, it is most

common on high-end smartphones of today.

▪ TFT
TFT LCD stands for” Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal

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Display “(screen liquid crystals and thin film transistor). Their
main advantage is their relatively low production cost. Their disadvantage is excessive energy, and
therefore a reduced lifetime of the battery for slabs large consumption.

The screen in these monitors is made up of thousands of tiny pixels, which are made up of transistors
controlled by a microprocessor. Each pixel has three transistors, colored red, green or blue; the
intensity of each governs the effective color of the pixel seen by the eye.
The Thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT LCD) technology is the most common display
technology used in mobile phones. A variant of liquid crystal display (LCD), the technology uses TFT
technology to enhance image quality. It offers better image quality and higher resolutions as compared
to earlier generation LCD displays.

It ranges from the budget smartphones like the HTC Desire C to high-end tablets, like the Google
Nexus 7.

However, TFT screens consume lot energy, which results in poor battery life.
Since this display technology is cheaper to manufacture, these are most commonly found on budget
phones, feature phones and low-end smartphones.

Uses Advantages: Dis advantages:

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– Computers – Cost is fairly good – Slow response time

– Laptop computers – Lightweight – Poor color
– Consume less power – Image appears unclear when
– Generate less heat viewed slightly from the side

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▪ IPS
IPS stands for” In-Place Switching“, and it is an improvement of TFT. To summarize very roughly,
the way the crystals are electrically excited is different. In fact, the viewing angles are wider (we
distinguish the contents of the screen even if it is not in front),
and especially energy consumption is reduced.
IPS (in-plane switching) the technology was made primarily for
LCD (liquid crystal display) to overcome the limitations of the
regular LCD or TFT-LCD display, the problem with the
regular display TFT-LCD was a slow response time, that
means a degraded touch response and bad news for gamers as
games usually require screens with good response times.
Left: IPS LCD, Right: Regular LCD
Another thing was a limited viewing angle, you could make out the
screen if you’re looking at it straight ahead with a little variation, but move to the side a bit and you
wouldn’t be able to see the screen…it was great for guys who’d be texting one girl while sitting with
another… J But now is the age of sharing is caring where you want to show off what you’re watching….
so, something had to be done…

IPS was the answer allowing for better response times meaning good touch response and better gaming.

SAMREEN NISAR
Also, it allowed for a better viewing angle meaning you could watch the screen while having others
watch it too.

Here is a brief note down of the IPS technology:

Pros Cons
Better response time as compared to Requires a stronger backlight
regular LCDs
Better Color reproduction More power hungry
Better viewing angle Screens (cell phones) are usually much
more thick (bulkier) due to backlight source
Sharper Images

LCD AND LED MONITORS

The days of the old cathode-ray monitors are almost gone. Most monitors and television set these days
are made using LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY/DIODE (LCD) technology.

This means that the front layer of the monitor is made up liquid crystal diodes; these tiny diodes are
grouped together in threes or fours which are known as pixels (picture elements). The three colors
which are grouped together use red, green and blue diodes. Those systems that use groups of four
include a yellow diode – this is said to make the colors more vivid.
▪ LED monitors:
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It is the improved version of LCD monitors. It uses light emitting diodes instead of CCFL for back
lighting technology which creates more clear images than LCD.

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 Uses Advantages: Dis advantages:
– Modern televisions – Vibrant color – Age and temperature
– Computer monitors – Capable of producing black dependent.
– Touchscreens and white images. – Expensive and inaccessible
– Consumes less electrical to everyone.
energy. – Doesn’t directly emit light
– Wider viewing angles energy.
– LEDs reach their maximum
brightness almost immediately

Modern LCD monitors are back lit using LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) technology. This gives
the image better contrast and brightness. Before the use of LEDs, LCD monitors used a cold cathode
fluorescent lamp (CCFL) as the backlighting method.

Essentially, CCFL uses two fluorescent tubes behind the LCD screen which supplies the light source.
When LEDs are used, a matrix of tiny LEDs is used behind the LCD screen. Because LCD doesn’t
emit any light, some form of back-lit technology needs to be used.

SAMREEN NISAR
LEDs have become increasingly more popular because of a number of advantages over older CCFL
technology:

LEDs reach their maximum brightness almost immediately (there is no need to ‘warm up’ before
reaching full efficiency)

▪ LEDs give a whiter light which sharpens the image and make the colors appear more vivid; CCFL
had a slightly yellowish tint
▪ LEDs produce a brighter light which improves the color definition
▪ Monitors using LED technology are much thinner than monitors using CCFL technology
▪ LEDs last almost indefinitely; this makes the technology more reliable and means a more
consistent product.
▪ LEDs consume very little power which means they produce less heat as well as using less energy.

Future LED technology is making use of ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DIODES (OLEDS).
These use organic materials (made up of carbon compounds) to create semi-conductors which are
very flexible. Organic films are sandwiched between two charged electrodes (one is a metallic
CATHODE and the other a glass ANODE). When an electric field is applied to the electrodes, they
give off light. This means that no form of backlighting is required. This allows for very thin screens.

It also means that there is no longer a need to use LCD technology, since OLED is a self-contained
system.
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As can be seen in Figure, OLEDs allow the screen to be curved. This ensures a good picture from any
angle.

But the important aspect of the technology is how thin this makes the screen. It is now possible, using
OLED technology, to bend screens to any shape. If this is adopted by mobile phone manufacturers,
it will be possible to develop phones which can wrap around your wrist – much like a watch strap.

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Imagine screens so thin that they can be folded up and placed in your pocket until they are needed.
Or how about using folding OLED displays attached to fabrics creating ‘smart’ clothing (this could be
used on outdoor survival clothing where an integrated circuit, mobile phone, GPS receiver and OLED
display could all be sewn into the clothing)?

Advantages of using OLED (compared with existing LEDs and LCDs)

▪ the plastic, organic layers of an OLED are thinner, lighter and more flexible than the crystal
structures used in LEDs or LCDs
▪ the light-emitting layers of an OLED are lighter; OLED layers can be made from plastic rather
than the glass used in LED and LCD screens
▪ OLEDs give a brighter light than LEDs
▪ OLEDs do not require backlighting like LCD screens – OLEDs generate their own light
▪ since OLEDs require no backlighting, they use much less power than LCD screens (most of the
LCD power is used to do the backlighting); this is very important in battery-operated devices such
as mobile phones
▪ since OLEDs are essentially plastics, they can be made into large, thin sheets (this means they
could be used on large advertising boards in airports, subways, and so on)
▪ OLEDs have a very large field of view, about 170 degrees, which makes them ideal for use in
television sets and for advertising screens.

SAMREEN NISAR
LCD/LED screens are used on many hand-held devices with touchscreens, such as mobile phones,
tablets and game consoles. The technology behind such screens has already been discussed earlier.

Modern LCD screens are very thin and very lightweight and are very responsive to touch. Obviously,
the new technologies described above will change the way
we use these hand-held devices in the very near future.
4K Resolution
Also called 4K, refers to a display device or content having
horizontal resolution on the order of 4,000 pixels. Several
4K resolutions exist in the fields of digital television and
digital cinematography. In the movie projection industry,
Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) is the dominant 4K
standard.
A 4K resolution, as defined by Digital Cinema Initiatives,
is 4096 x 2160 pixels (256:135, approximately a
1.9:1aspect ratio). This standard is widely respected by the film industry along with all other DCI
standards.
DCI 4K should not be confused with ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) AKA "UHD-1", which
has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 (16:9, or approximately a 1.78:1 aspect ratio). Many manufacturers
may advertise their products as UHD 4K, or simply 4K, when the term 4K is traditionally reserved for
the cinematic, DCI resolution. This often causes great confusion among consumers.
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UHDTV
Ultra-high-definition television (also known as Super Hi-Vision, Ultra HD television, UltraHD,
UHDTV, or UHD) includes 4K UHD (2160p) and 8K UHD (4320p), which are two digital video
formats proposed by NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories and defined and approved
by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

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Resolution
Two resolutions are defined as UHDTV:
▪ 4K UHDTV (2160p) is 3840 pixels wide by 2160 pixels tall (8.29 megapixels), which is four
times as many pixels as 1920x1080 (2.07 megapixels).
▪ 8K UHDTV (4320p) is 7680 pixels wide by 4320 pixels tall (33.18 megapixels), which is sixteen
times as many pixels as current1080p HDTV, which brings it closer to the detail level of 15/70
mm IMAX. NHK advocates the 8K UHDTV format with 22.2 surround sound as Super Hi-
Vision.555

The suffix "p" in 2160p and 4320p stands for progressive scan or non-interlaced.

Additional

Pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel, pel, or picture element is a physical point in a raster
image, or the smallest addressable element in an all points addressable display
device; so it is the smallest controllable element of a picture represented on the
screen. The address of a pixel corresponds to its physical coordinates. LCD pixels

SAMREEN NISAR
are manufactured in a two-dimensional grid, and are often represented using dots
or squares, but CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) pixels correspond to their timing
mechanisms and sweep rates.

Resolution
The number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed on a display device. It is usually
quoted as width × height, with the units in pixels: for example, "1024 × 768" means the width is 1024
pixels and the height is 768 pixels. This example would normally be spoken as "ten twenty-four by
seven sixty-eight" or "ten twenty-four by seven six eight".
DCI
Stands for “Digital Cinema Initiatives”. A joint venture between the major Hollywood studios to
establish a specification for a standard digital cinema architecture
Vector graphics
Vector graphics are graphics in which the image is represented in a mathematical fashion. What this
allows one to do is to zoom in an image to infinite precision. They are ideal for situations in which an
image might be used at various resolutions and dimensions.

Raster graphics
Raster graphics are of a fixed dimension, somewhat like a grid pattern with specified values at each
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point. These graphics are the default for things from the real world (IE, scanned images, photographs,
etc). They are ideal for use when an image will only be used once, and will never need to be enlarged,
or if portions are coming from a photograph or other real-world image.

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 MOBILE SCREENS
Difference between resolution and definition
Evacuate the question immediately: to assess the finesse of a display screen, talking about resolution
and definition. To understand the difference between resolution and definition, in graphic terms, I
suggest you read the definitions of the two terms in the dictionary this time:

▪ The resolution is a measure of the fine details of an image, for a given dimension. It is expressed
in pixels per inch (dpi) or pixels per inch in English (ppi).
▪ The definition of a screen is the number of pixels that can display. It is expressed in number of
dots (pixels) horizontally and vertically.

In other words, and we are passionate about smartphones, we will “compare” the definition of a screen
compared to its size and to focus on the resolution to determine the accuracy, the paper display, our
Android or other mobile device.
You understand that if two smartphones have screens of different sizes but similar definition, then the
resolution is not the same

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AMOLED
AMOLED or (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) is an upgrade to OLED, this tech basically
consists of organic compounds which when are introduced to an electric charge produce luminosity or
light. AMOLED was the tech that allowed for smart-phones to become even sleeker, basically since it
does not require any backlight as compared to its IPS counterpart it is less bulky. At the same time it
provided better viewing angles and better contrast as compared to the simple LCD. The main factor
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that really set apart the AMOLED was its power consumption, it uses less battery power as compared
to the IPS tech or regular LCDs.

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Here is a Sum UP of AMOLED tech:
Pros Cons
No Backlight Required Difficult to produce, more expensive tech

Screen is slimmer, less bulky phone Images Not as sharp IPS

No backlight, less battery usage, greater Less Bright as compared to IPS, so less
battery life daylight visibility
Great Contrast Display Colors Degrade over time.

Notable Devices with AMOLED screens: Samsung Galaxy S series, Nokia Lumia 900, HTC One S.
Conclusion:

SAMREEN NISAR
In a general summary we can say that:

▪ IPS is known for its better color production, cheap cost of production, better daylight visibility,
sharper image quality and higher resolution support

▪ AMOLED screens stand for better battery life, slimmer and sleek design, greater contrast, darker
blacks, and better response time.

Super AMOLED

Super AMOLED display technology is an advanced version of AMOLED display. Samsung uses this
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term for the AMOLED panels that they develop. Super AMOLED screens are built with capacitive
touch sensors on the display itself. Super AMOLED display is much more responsive than an
AMOLED display. Samsung top-of-the-line Galaxy SII comes engineered with Super AMOLED
display technology. Samsung has already took it's SMOLED screen to next levels by developing Super
AMOLED+, HD Super AMOLED+ and FHD Super AMOLED+ screens.

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 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN

▪ LCD: liquid crystal display. Works by adjusting the amount of light blocked. Usually has a backlight
but might not (clocks, calculators, Nintendo Gameboy). The green-black ones can be very cheap
and are a mature technology. Response time can be slow.
▪ TFT: is a type of LCD with a thin film transistor attached to each pixel. All computer LCD screens
are TFT since early 2000s; older ones had slower response times and poorer color. Cost is now
very good; power consumption is fairly good but dominated by the backlight. Has to be
manufactured out of glass.
▪ LED: light emitting diode. As the name suggests, emits light rather than blocking it like LCD. Used
for red/green/blue/white indicator lights everywhere. Some manufacturers advertise "LED" displays
that are TFT screens with a white LED backlight, which is just confusing. Ones that are real LED
screens are usually OLED.
▪ OLED: organic LED (rather than silicon or germanium based like regular LEDs). Comparatively
recent technology, so cost still quite variable and not available in really large sizes. In theory can be
printed on plastic, resulting in lighter flexible displays with good brightness, good power
consumption and good response time.
Best power consumption of all of these is a monochrome infrequently changing LCD display with no
backlight.
Difference Between CRT and LCD

SAMREEN NISAR
CRT LCD
LCD stands for “Liquid
Stands For CRT stands for “Cathode Ray Tube“.
Crystal Display“.
LCD is light, compact and
Size CRT is weighted, bulky and large in size.
thin in size.
Power
It consumes High power. It consumes Low power.
Consumption
Image No Image Flickering is there
Image Flickering is there in CRT.
Flickering in LCD.
Color CRT is like Black. LCD is like White.
Image Image Retention is there in
Image Retention is not there in CRT.
Retention LCD.
Cost It is less expensive. It is more expensive.
Liquid crystals are used to
Image Forming Electron Gun is used to form images.
form images.
Response CRT having good response. LCD having slow response.
CRT is used in Televisions and was used
Where Used LCD is used in flat screens.
in old computer monitors.
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 Difference Between LCD and LED

LED LCD
LED stands for “Light Emitting LCD stands for “Liquid Crystal
Stands for
Diode”. Display”.

LED is a kind of LCD actually with

advancement of technology. It LCD uses fluorescent tubes to light
Backlight
replaces fluorescent tubes with up the picture, but cannot provide
Technology
backlight technology, which creates clarity as LED does.
more clear images than LCD.

LCD also provides good color

LED provides much better color accuracy but if you compare both,
Color Accuracy
accuracy than LCD. then that minor difference is
noticeable.

Power LED consumes more power than LCD consumes less power than
Consumption LCD. LED.

SAMREEN NISAR
LED has better contrast and black
LCD is not good to create black
Contrast & Black level as it produces better black
areas hence have not good contrast
Level areas which give better quality of
as LED.
image.

LCD also gives good picture quality

LED display gives good picture
Picture Quality but we cannot deny the difference
quality than LCD.
between them.

In LCD, in wider angle image is

LED comes with wider viewing
Viewing Angles diminished with the 30 degree from
angles than the LCD.
the center then the ratio of contrast.

If you are going to purchase LED,

LCD is less expensive than LED. If
its expensive than LCD but have
Price you want to compromise a bit with
better quality of picture and better
quality, you can go for LCD.
features than LCD.

▪ Multimedia Projectors:
Multimedia projectors receive signals that can be either analogue or digital, and the signal source is
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usually from a computer, television or DVD player. The image from the source is magnified and
projected onto a large screen. There are two common types of light projector:
▪ digital light projectors (DLP)
▪ LCD projectors.

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 Uses Advantages: Dis advantages:
– Presentations – Large audience can – Images are sometimes fuzzy.
– Multimedia applications watch the presentation – They are expensive to buy
– Advertisements at once. – Setting up projectors requires
computer knowledge.

▪ LIGHT PROJECTORS
There are two common types of light projector:
▪ Digital Light Projectors (DLP)
▪ LCD projectors.

Projectors are used to project computer output onto larger screens or even onto interactive
whiteboards. They are often used in presentations and in multimedia applications.

The following two sections describe the basic differences

behind these projector technologies.

▪ LCD Projector:

SAMREEN NISAR
LCD projectors project light onto mirrors which split it
up into its 3 primary colors: red, green and blue. The
colors then pass through three separate glass panels
(actually prisms), which is why this technology is referred
to as 3LCD. When light is projected through the LCD
panels, individual pixels are opened or closed to allow
light through or block it. The separate colors are then
converged using another prism and projected on to the
screen.

These are older technology than DLP. Essentially a high-

intensity beam of light passes through an LCD display
and then onto a screen.

How this works in principle is described below.

▪ A powerful beam of white light is generated from a bulb or LED inside the projector body.
▪ This beam of light is then sent to a group of chromatic-coated mirrors; these reflect the light back
at different wavelengths.
▪ When the white light hits these mirrors, the reflected light has wavelengths corresponding to red,
green and blue light components.
▪ These three different colored light components pass through three LCD screens; these screens
show the image to be projected as millions of pixels in a grey scale.
▪ When the colored light passes through the LCD screens, a red, green and blue version of the grey
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image emerges.
▪ These images are then combined using a special prism to produce a full color image – this final
image consists of millions of colors (each shade of grey in the original image produces a different
shade in each of the color images).

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▪ Finally, the image passes through the projector lens onto a screen.

Advantages of LCD Projectors

LCD projectors have historically had three main advantages over DLP projectors.
▪ More accurate colors: DLP projectors often have a clear section in their color wheel which boosts
brightness but reduces color saturation. LCD projectors do not have a color wheel.
▪ Sharper image: LCD projectors have a slightly sharper image than DLP projectors at equal
resolutions. This can actually be a drawback which we will come to below.
▪ More light-efficient: This means that the same wattage lamp in an LCD and DLP would produce

SAMREEN NISAR
a brighter image in the LCD.

Disadvantages of LCD Projectors

The historical disadvantages of LCD are more relevant to video than data applications.

▪ Screen door effect: The sharper image produced by LCD projectors can actually be a disadvantage,
since the more precise focusing makes the pixilation (“chicken wiring” or “screen door effect”) of
an image more obvious.

▪ Contrast: LCD contrast may not be as good compared to DLP, meaning that LCDs cannot
produce completely black images. Both of the above are less of a problem with newer, higher
resolution 3LCD models.

▪ Portability: LCD projectors have more parts and so are bulkier and less portable than DLPs.

▪ Image degradation: More parts means more parts which can go wrong. LCD panels can experience
long term image degradation where color balance shifts and overall contrast is reduced. LCD
panels can be expensive to replace.

▪ Dead pixels: Dead pixels can become a problem in LCD projectors, where one or more pixels
turn permanently on or off. With one pixel, the effect is hardly noticeable, but it can become an
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annoyance if this happens in clusters of pixels.

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▪ DLP – Digital Light Projectors
Digital Light Processing is a proprietary system developed by Texas Instruments, and works differently
to LCD projection. Most DLP projectors have a single chip instead of glass panels through which light
is passed, and this chip has a reflective surface composed of thousands of tiny mirrors which

correspond to individual pixels. These mirrors can move back and forth when light is beamed onto
the chip to direct the light from individual pixels either towards the projector lens or away from it. In
order to define colors, DLP projectors have a color wheel that consists of red, green and blue filters.

SAMREEN NISAR
This wheel spins between the light source and the DLP chip and alternates the color of the light hitting
the chip between red, green and blue. The mirrors tilt away from or into the lens path depending on
how much of each color is required for each pixel at any given moment.
Advantages of DLP Projectors

DLP projectors are a favorite amongst road warriors and home theatre enthusiasts for several reasons:
▪ Portability: DLP projectors tend to be smaller and easier to transport since they have one chip
compared to the LCD’s 3 panels.
▪ Higher Contrast: The deep blacks achievable with DLP projectors make them very popular
for home cinema applications.
▪ Reduced Pixilation: This is especially noticeable in comparisons of lower-end LCD and DLPs,
and makes DLP a popular choice for smooth video applications.
▪ Reliability: DLPs tend to fail less often due to fewer parts and are less expensive to repair. DLP
projectors have sealed optics, making them ideal for use in dusty environments.

Disadvantages of DLP Technology

▪ The Rainbow effect: When looking away from the projected image of a DLP projector to an off-
screen object, or when looking quickly from one side of the screen to the other, you may
experience a “rainbow” effect – a momentary flash of rainbow-colored stripes around brighter
objects. This is typically only a problem in older DLP projectors without modern, faster 6-color
wheels.
▪ Light leakage: Some people may also experience “light leakage” from their DLP projector in the
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form of a grey band around the outside of the image. This is caused by stray light reflecting off the
edges of the mirrors on the DLP chip. This can be avoided by installing black borders around the
screen. Again, light leakage is generally only a problem in older DLP projectors.
▪ Poor viewing range
▪ Most DLP projectors are not compatible with zoom lenses.

Uses
▪ Movie theater

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 Comparison chart

DLP Projector LCD Projector

Introduction Type of projector technology Type of video projector for displaying
that uses a digital micromirror video, images or computer data on a
device. screen or other flat surface; modern
equivalent of the slide or overhead
projector.
How it Works DLP’s one chip is with a Projected light onto mirrors split to 3
reflective surface having 1,000s primary colors: red, green and blue.
of tiny mirrors coordinated Colors then pass via 3 separate
with a light source to reflect prisms, with colors converged via 2nd
digital imagery to any surface prism for projection on screen.
Advantages *Smoother video *Smaller *Richer color dynamics in ambient
box *Pixels less visible light *Less power *Throw less heat
*“Filmlike” on HDTV *No "rainbow effect" *Quieter,
*Generate "blacker" blacks sharper image on data
*Higher contrast *Portable
Disadvantages *Some "rainbow effect" *More *More visible pixels *Some screen
moving parts *Produce door effect on certain video images

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audible whine *Poorer reds, *Larger - even for same lumen #
yellows at full power *Color *Poorer contrast *Black is lighter gray
saturation *More lumens than than in DLP
LCD with ambient light
Image Good picture quality, but Sharper image; better picture quality
poorer than LCD projectors than DLP projectors
Rainbow Yes No
Effect
Contrast Higher than LCD Lower than DLP
Portability Smaller, Lighter, Easily Buliker, Not very convenient for
portable portability
Price $300 - $1000+ $250 - $1000+
Light Source LED or Standard Lamp Standard Lamp
Technology Reflective Transmissive
Type
Year Invented 1987 1968

Hard copy output devices

PRINTERS
It is a device through which we can get a permanent output. It is one of the most common hard copy
output devices used. There are two types of printers:
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▪ Impact printer:
These printers print the characters by striking against the ribbon and onto the paper. These printers
print one line at a time (line by line). Its characteristics include:
✓ Low is cost,
✓ Very noisy
✓ Useful for bulk printing due to low cost
✓ There is physical contact with the paper to produce an output.

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▪ Non-Impact Printer:
These printers print the characters without striking against the ribbon or the paper. They print
complete page at a time. Its characteristics include:
✓ Faster than impact printers
✓ Not noisy
✓ Produce high quality prints
✓ Supports many fonts and different character sizes.
▪ Inkjet Printers
Inkjet Printers are essentially made up of:
✓ a print head which consists of nozzles which spray droplets of ink on to the paper to form characters
✓ an ink cartridge or cartridges; either a group of cartridges for each color (blue, yellow and magenta)
and a black cartridge or one single cartridge containing all three colors + black (Note: some
✓ systems use six colors.)
✓ a stepper motor and belt which moves the print head assembly across the page from side to side.
✓ a paper feed which automatically feeds the printer with pages as they are required.

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The ink droplets are produced currently using two different technologies.

▪ Thermal bubble: tiny resistors create localized heat which makes the ink vaporize. This causes the
ink to form a tiny bubble; as the bubble expands, some of the ink is ejected from the print head
onto the paper. When the bubble collapses, a small vacuum is created which allows fresh ink to
be drawn into the print head. This continues until the printing cycle is completed.

▪ Piezoelectric: a crystal is located at the back of the ink reservoir for each nozzle. The crystal is given
a tiny electric charge which makes it vibrate. This vibration forces ink to be ejected onto the paper;
at the same time more ink is drawn in for further printing.

When a user wishes to print a document using an inkjet printer, the following sequence of events takes
place. Whatever technology is used, the basic steps in the printing process are the same.

Principles of Operation
Stages Description of Process
1 The data from the document is sent to a printer driver
2 The printer driver ensures that the data is in a format that the chosen printer can
understand

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3 A check is made by the printer driver to ensure that the chosen printer is available
to print (e.g. is it busy, is it off line, is it out of ink, and so on)
4 The data is then sent to the printer and it is stored in a temporary memory known
as a printer buffer
5 A sheet of paper is then fed into the main body of the printer; a sensor detects
whether paper is available in the paper feed tray – if it is out of paper (or the paper
is jammed) then an error message is sent back to the computer
6 As the sheet of paper is fed through the printer, the print head
moves from side to side across the paper printing the text or
image; the four ink colors are sprayed in their exact amounts to
produce the desired final color
7 At the end of each full pass of the print head, the paper is
advanced very slightly to allow the next line to be printed; this
continues until the whole page has been printed
8 If there is more data in the printer buffer, then the whole process from stage 5 is
repeated until the buffer is finally empty
9 Once the printer buffer is empty, the printer sends an interrupt to the processor in
the computer; this is a request for more data to be sent to the printer; the whole
process continues until the whole of the document has been printed

These printers produce good quality hard copies. These printers do not have large buffers so
printing is done a bit at a time, usually one line at a time.
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 Uses Advantages: Disadvantages:
– They are used where low – The output is high – Output is slow is several copies
output volumes are required quality are needed.
– Ideal for high quality small – Cheaper to buy as – Ink cartridges run out too
printing jobs compared to laser quickly making them expensive
– 3D inkjet printers are now printers. to maintain.
being used in industry to – Very lightweight and – Printing can smudge if the user
produce prototypes. small in size. is not careful.

▪ Application of Inkjet Printers

The choice of whether to use an inkjet printer or laser printer depends on which features make it the
most appropriate output device for the given application.

Inkjet Printers are best for one-off photos or where only a few pages of good quality, color printing is
needed; the small ink cartridges or small paper trays would not be an issue with such applications.

▪ Laser printer
Laser Printers differ greatly from inkjet printers in the way they print
pages. They use dry powder ink rather than liquid ink and make use of

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the properties of static electricity to produce the text and images. Unlike
inkjet printers, laser printers print the whole page in one go (inkjet
printers print the page line by line).

Their advantage is the speed at which they can carry out large print jobs (e.g. 2000 leaflets) and the fact
that they don’t run out of ink halfway through.
Principles of Operation
Stages Description of Process
1 The data from the document is sent to a printer driver
2 The printer driver ensures that the data is in a format that the chosen printer can
understand
3 A check is made by the printer driver to ensure that the chosen printer is available to
print (e.g. is it busy, is it off line, is it out of ink, and so on)
4 The data is then sent to the printer and it is stored in a temporary memory known as a
printer buffer
5 The start of the printing process involves a printing drum being given a positive charge;
as this drum rotates, a laser beam is scanned across it removing the positive charge in
certain areas; this leaves negatively charged areas which exactly match the text/images of
the page to be printed
6 The drum is then coated with positively charged TONER (powdered ink); since the
toner is positively charged, it only sticks to the negatively charged parts of the drum
7 A negatively charged sheet of paper is then rolled over the drum
8 The toner on the drum now sticks to the paper to produce an exact copy of the page
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sent to the printer

9 To prevent the paper sticking to the drum, the electric charge on the paper is removed
after one rotation of the drum
10 The paper finally goes through a fuser which is a set of heated rollers; the heat melts the
ink so that it fixes permanently to the paper
11 At the very end, a discharge lamp removes all the electric charge from the drum making
it ready to print the next page

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Application of Laser Printers
LASER PRINTERS produce high quality printouts and are very fast when making multiple copies of
a document; any application that needs high-volume printing (in color or monochrome) would choose
the laser printer (for
example, producing a
large number of high
quality flyers or
posters for
advertising) – they
have two advantages:
they have large toner
cartridges and large
paper trays (often
holding more than a
ream of paper).
These printers
produce a very-high quality hard copy output. Their print rate per page is very high and they rely on
large buffer memories, where the data for the whole document is stored before the pages can be printed

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out.

Uses Advantages: Dis advantages:

– In offices, schools etc. – Fast for high volume printing – They are comparatively
– Best option for fast high – Quality is consistently high expensive to buy.
quality and – Toner cartridges last for long – They produce volatile organic
– high volume printing. time making them cost compounds which can be
effective. hazardous to health.

▪ 3D Printer:
These printers are usually used in CAD applications. They produce solid working models of 3D
images. The solid object is built layer by layer using materials like paper, powered metal, powdered
cement etc.
3D printers use 2 methods of printing
1. Additive printing: the object is printed layer by layer.
2. Subtractive printing: removal of material to make the object.
(using 2D & 3D cutters)
3D printers
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3D PRINTERS are primarily used in computer-aided design
(CAD) applications. They can produce solid objects which
actually work. The solid object is built up layer by layer using
materials such as powdered resin, powdered metal, paper or
ceramic powder.
The motorcycle in Figure was made using an industrial 3D
printer. It was made from many layers (0.1 mm thick) of
powdered metal using a technology known as BINDER 3D
PRINTING. Another example

Features of 3D Printers
▪ Various types of 3D printers exist; they range from the size of a
microwave oven up to the size of a small car.
▪ 3D printers use ADDITIVE manufacturing (i.e. the object is built
up layer by layer); this is in sharp contrast to the more traditional
method of SUBTRACTIVE manufacturing (i.e. removal of material to make the object). For
example, making a statue using a 3D printer would involve building it up layer by layer using
powdered stone until the final object was formed. The subtractive method would involve carving
the statue out of solid stone (i.e. removing the stone not required) until the final item was produced.

SAMREEN NISAR
Similarly, CNC machining removes metal to form an object; 3D printing would produce the same
item by building up the object from layers of powdered metal.
▪ Direct 3D printing uses inkjet technology; a print head can move left to right as in a normal printer.
However, the print head can also move up and down to build up the layers of an object.
▪ Binder 3D printing is similar to direct 3D printing. However, this method uses two passes for each
of the layers; the first pass sprays dry powder and then on the second pass a binder (a type of glue)
is sprayed to form a solid layer.
▪ Newer technologies are using lasers and UV light to harden liquid polymers; this further increases
the diversity of products which can be made.

Principles of Operation

Stages Description of Process

1 A design is made using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
2 The finalized drawing is imported into some special software that prepares it in a
format which is understood by the 3D printer.
3 The 3D printer is set up to allow the solid object to be made.
4 The solid object is built up layer by layer (Often only 0.1 mm thick); this can take
several hours, depending on the thickness of the layers, the material used and the
size of the final object.
5 The object is removed from the printer and is then prepared; for example, some
use a jelly-like support which needs to be washed away by immersion in water, some
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require the removal of excess plastic powder and others require the cutting away of
unused material; in many cases, the object has be left to the ‘cure’ for a few hours.

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 SAMREEN NISAR
Uses of 3D printing
3D printing is regarded as being possibly the next ‘industrial revolution’ since it will change the
manufacturing methods in many industries. The following list is just a glimpse into what we know can
be made using these printers; in the years to come, this list will probably fill an entire book:
▪ prosthetic limbs made to exactly fit the recipient
▪ items to allow precision reconstructive surgery (e.g. facial reconstruction following an accident); the
parts made by this technique are more precise in their design since they are made from exact
scanning of the skull
▪ in aerospace, manufacturers are looking at making wings and other parts using 3D technology; the
bonus will be lightweight precision parts
▪ in fashion and art – 3D printing allows new creative ideas to be developed
▪ making parts for items no longer in production, e.g. suspension parts for a vintage car.

These are just a few of the exciting applications which make use of this new technology.
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 SAMREEN NISAR
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 SAMREEN NISAR
Printer Buffer:
A printer buffer is a temporary storage area that holds the data or documents to be printed by the
printer. It is created by the operating system or printing management software to enable storing print
jobs data when multiple print jobs are assigned to a computer printer.

Printer Driver:
A printer driver is a piece of software that converts the data to be printed to the form specific to a
printer. The purpose of printer drivers is to allow applications to do printing without being aware of
the technical details of each printer model.

Interrupt:
An interrupt is a signal from a device attached to a computer or from a program within the computer
that requires the operating system to stop and figure out what to do next.
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▪ Plotters:
It is also known as graph plotters. These devices produce hard copies but they operate in a different
way than printers. Unlike printers they are capable of producing highly accurate, very large drawings
and posters.
The most common types of plotters are:
a. Pen Plotters: which use colored pens to draw.
b. Electrostatic plotters: which use similar method to laser printers.
c. Inkjet plotters.

Uses Advantages: Dis advantages:

– Used to produce large – Produce huge printouts – Slow in operation
drawings like blueprints – –
– – Print quality is extremely – They are expensive to buy
– Use to produce large high and maintain as well.
posters –
– – Can print on plastic

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– The pens can be replaced coated paper.
by cutting tools to make
large signs.

▪ 2D AND 3D CUTTERS
A three-dimensional (3D) laser cutter works in a similar way to a two-dimensional (2D) cutter. The
main difference is that the 3D cutter can recognize an object in the x-y-z direction rather than just x-y.

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3D laser cutters can cut the following materials:
▪ glass
▪ crystal
▪ metal
▪ polymer
▪ wood.

Very complex designs can be cut since the cutters are

controlled by computers and very sophisticated
software.

A 3D cutter can cut beyond the surface of the material

and produce very intricate designs.

It is interesting to contrast this method of shaping

objects with 3D printers, although it is true to say that
not all the materials which can undergo 3D cutting can
be used in 3D printing methods.

SAMREEN NISAR
▪ ACTUATORS
An actuator is an electromechanical device such as a
relay, solenoid or motor.
When the computer is used to control devices, such as
a motor or a valve, it is necessary to use a DIGITAL
TO ANALOGUE CONVERTER (DAC) since these devices need analogue data to operate in many
cases. Frequently, an ACTUATOR is used in these control applications.

Note: A solenoid is an example of a digital actuator; part of the device is connected to a computer
which opens and closes a circuit as required. When energized, the solenoid may operate a plunger or
armature to control, for example, a fuel injection system. Other actuators, such as motors and valves,
may require a DAC so that they receive an electric current rather than a simple digital signal direct
from the computer.

▪ Speakers:
Speakers can be connected directly to a computer or are built into the monitor or casing (as in a laptop
computer). Digital data from the computer is converted into analogue form, using a digital to analogue
converter (DAC). The signal is then amplified through the speakers.

Uses Advantages Disadvantages

– Used to output sound – Volumes of the output can – Can disturb people if used in a
from multimedia be controlled quiet environment.
presentations – –
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– – Can help blind people – they are an analogue device so

– Home entertainment through audio output of text the digital sound signal has to be
centers of the screen. converted, usually by a sound
card.

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Loudspeakers/headphones
Sound is produced from a computer by passing the digital data through a DIGITAL TO
ANALOGUE CONVERTER (DAC) and then through an AMPLIFIER; finally, the sound emerges
from a (loud)SPEAKER.
The sound is produced by voltage differences vibrating a cone in the speaker housing at different
frequencies and amplitudes:

The rate at which the DAC can translate the digital output into analogue voltages is known as the
SAMPLING RATE. If the DAC is a 16-bit device, then it can accept numbers between +32 767 (216
– 1) and –32 768 (216); the digital value containing all zeros is ignored. The speed at which these values
can be converted is the sampling rate.

SAMREEN NISAR
Most textbooks indicate that the standard sampling rate is 44 100 samples per second. This basically
means that the DAC can convert 44 100 values in the range +32 767 to –32 768 every second.

Suppose a CD is being produced to contain a number of music tracks. Each piece of music is sampled
44 100 times a second. Each sample is 16 bits. Since the music is in stereo this also needs to be taken
into consideration.

The above information means that

▪ 44,100 × 2 × 16 = 1 411 200 bits per second
▪ sampling (the number ‘2’ is used in the calculation to account for the sound being in stereo).
▪ Since 1 byte = 8 bits, this equates to 1 411 200/8 bytes per second.
▪ This works out at 176,400 bytes per second.

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